Chip budding implements have been proposed heretofore, and although certain claims have been made, tests have indicated that many of those implements are not particularly suitable for preparation of both chip buds and root stocks for the chip budding process, since they are essentially of an awkward design. When a chip bud is to be inserted into a vine, fruit tree, root stock or the like, it is necessary for the cambium of the scion to align with the cambium of the root stock which is being used for an effective union to be made. The use of root stock is increasing rapidly because of absence of viability when using inappropriate root stocks, or the roots of a varietal plant, and for example in the wine industry it is deemed most necessary to use nematode and phylloxera resistant root stocks in order to get sufficient production from the vines, especially in replant situations. Low production vines are not economically viable.
This problem has been recognised, and notwithstanding the existence of certain chip budding implements, hand budding has been widely used, but the success rate varies with the skill of the operator and is so uncertain that there is a probability that the cambium of scion and root stock do not align and as a result the success rate of hand chip budding can be as low as 20%.
One object of this invention is to provide a hand held implement which can effectively be used in the field as well as at a fixed bench site.
A further object is to provide an implement which can be used for preparation of chip bud from a scion, and root stock, prior to a chip budding process.